Hurricane Sandy – state by state

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(CNN) — States up and down the East Coast are bracing for Hurricane Sandy, which started to make its turn toward the United States early Monday. The storm is on course for landfall late Monday or early Tuesday somewhere between Maryland and Pennsylvania — with New Jersey taking the brunt, according to a forecast prediction map released by the National Hurricane Center.

Bus service in Connecticut will stay closed for the duration of the storm, Gov. Dan Malloy said.

“Folks, this could be bad — really bad,” Malloy said Sunday, noting that forecasters are predicting 36 hours of sustained winds. “It could impact us in several ways and for a long period of time. Please take this as seriously as we are taking it.”

Malloy said his state will have 400 National Guard troops ready to assist with recovery efforts as needed.

President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency for Connecticut.

DELAWARE

Parts of the Delaware coast have already experienced significant flooding.

By early Monday, the National Guard and local authorities were responding to residents who did not evacuate and “need to be rescued from flooding,” Gov. Jack Markell said in a Twitter post.

Markell ordered the evacuation of all coastal communities and a flood-prone area in southern Delaware.

Shelters opened beginning Sunday afternoon to accommodate those who have left their homes but have nowhere else to go. Statewide, 500 people spent the night in five shelters, Markell said Monday.

“The biggest concerns, the rain and the wind together make driving conditions absolutely miserable, so we put in a driving restriction today,” he said Monday.

The restrictions mean only “essential personnel,” such as core government employees and those who provide health care services, should be driving.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The city’s mass transit system, known as the Metro, will stay idle Monday.

All Washington public schools will be closed Monday, Mayor Vincent Gray announced. “The district is preparing in earnest” for the storm’s effects, which could include heavy rain, street flooding, strong winds, power outages and storm-surge flooding along the Potomac River and its tributaries, Gray said.

All federal buildings will be closed to the public Monday.

Obama declared a state of emergency in the District of Columbia on Sunday.

MAINE

The Maine Emergency Management Agency warned Sandy could create “significant problems” such as high surf, fierce winds and coastal erosion.

In anticipation of widespread power outages, Gov. Paul LePage signed a “limited emergency declaration” so power crews from other states and Canada can help the state prepare for Sandy. The declaration also extends the hours that power company crews can drive.

MASSACHUSETTS

Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency for the Bay State.

Hoping to avoid the kind of criticism utilities received after last year’s Hurricane Irene and other storms, Patrick said utilities plan to pair tree removal and power restoration crews — rather than having them work separately — so that work can be done more efficiently.

Boston announced that schools will be closed Monday.

Obama also declared a state of emergency for Massachusetts.

MARYLAND

Like several neighboring states, Maryland could see as much as a foot of rain in some areas — a major reason the state has declared a state of emergency.

Besides flooding, strong winds are expected to cause significant power outages. The Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., for instance, said several hundred thousand customers could be affected.

Public schools in Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s County will be closed Monday.

In the coastal city of Annapolis, city crews distributed sandbags to residents and businesses to help them prepare for flooding.

President Obama declared a state of emergency in Maryland on Sunday.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Sandy could bring winds of up to 60 mph and dump 2 and 4 inches of rain to parts of the Granite State — likely starting Monday, Gov. John Lynch’s office said.

“While the exact path and severity of the storm remain uncertain, it is clear New Hampshire will experience a significant weather event and I urge everyone to be prepared,” Lynch said.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey was the first to announce mandatory evacuations. The state’s barrier islands from Sandy Hook south to Cape May must be cleared out, along with Atlantic City’s casinos.

“We have to prepare for the worst here,” Gov. Chris Christie said. Tolls have been suspended on the northbound Garden State Parkway and the westbound Atlantic City Expressway so people in those areas can leave more quickly, he said.

All state offices will be closed Monday, with only essential employees expected to report to work, Christie announced.

New Jersey Transit came to a halt and will remain suspended indefinitely.

Authorities “anticipate there could be many days without power” after the storm, Newark Mayor Cory Booker said Monday.

NEW YORK

New York City’s ubiquitous public transit system shut down ahead of Sandy’s landfall, leaving iconic sites such as Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station empty.

The city expects a slow surge of water to flood low-lying areas such as Queens, the Bronx and Battery Park in Manhattan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for parts of the city. Evacuation centers have been opened in 76 locations, and schools are closed Monday.

Offices at the United Nations in Manhattan also will be closed Monday as will the New York Stock Exchange.

The Broadway League canceled all Broadway performances Monday night, citing the suspension of public transportation.

Flooding, power outages and sustained high winds are anticipated, his office said. Sandy could even bring snow to parts of southwestern Pennsylvania and in higher elevations.

“Essentially, this is a hurricane wrapped in a nor’easter,” Corbett said.

Public schools in Philadelphia will be closed Monday.

Public transportation in the Philadelphia area has been suspended.

RHODE ISLAND

The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency urged all residents to prepare for prolonged power outages, wind damage and water damage by keeping an emergency kit, securing property and taking boats out of the water.

State authorities have taken precautions such as checking and clearing drains in flood-prone areas and relocating state equipment if necessary.

Public schools in Providence, the state capital, will be closed Monday.

Obama has declared a state of emergency for Rhode Island.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Heavy rains from the fringes of Sandy pelted much of South Carolina’s coast, from Charleston to Myrtle Beach.

VIRGINIA

Virginia was one of several states to declare a state of emergency ahead of the storm. Computer models predict parts of the state could see as much as a foot of rain.

Sandbags piled up inside restaurants in the Old Town section of Alexandria along the banks of the Potomac River.

The Virginia National Guard was authorized to bring as many as 500 personnel onto active duty.

All public schools in Fairfax County, a large school district in northern Virginia, will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Schools in Arlington, Norfolk and Newport also will be closed Monday.